Published by the Public Risk Management Association
www.primacentral.org
SEPTEMBER 2013
CREATING
SMART PARKS DISASTER: ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY READY TO RESPOND?
Eyewashes and Safety Showers in Schools:
WHAT RISK MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW
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Volume 29, No. 8 | September 2013 | www.primacentral.org
The Public Risk Management Association promotes effective risk management in the public interest as an essential component of public administration.
PRESIDENT Betty Coulter Director of Risk Management and Insurance University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
CONTENTS
PAST PRESIDENT Cindy B. Mallett, AIC, CWCP, ARM-P Human Resources/Risk Manager City of Gainesville Gainesville, GA PRESIDENT-ELECT Regan Rychetsky, ABCP Director, HHS Enterprise Risk Management and Safety Texas Health and Human Services Commission Austin, TX
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Dean Coughenour, ARM Risk Manager City of Goodyear Goodyear, AZ
6 CREATING SMART PARKS
By Doug Wyseman
Terri Evans Risk Manager City of Kingsport Kingsport, TN
10 DISASTER: ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY READY TO RESPOND?
Tracy Seiler Manager of Risk Finance The University of Texas System Austin, TX
15 Eyewashes and Safety Showers in Schools:
WHAT RISK MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW
By Joann Roberston, CSP, CPCU, ARM, CPSI
Matt Hansen, MPA Director, Risk Management Division City & County of San Francisco San Francisco, CA Amy Larson, Esq. Risk and Litigation Manager City of Bloomington Bloomington, MN
By Melissa Black, MS, CSP, CIH
DIRECTORS Ed Beecher Risk Manager City of Pompano Beach Pompano Beach, FL
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marshall W. Davies, Ph.D. EDITOR Jennifer Ackerman, CAE Deputy Executive Director 703.253.1267 • jackerman@primacentral.org
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ADVERTISING Donna Stigler 888.814.0022 • donna@ahi-services.com
Public Risk is published 10 times per year by the Public Risk Management Association, 700 S. Washington St., #218, Alexandria, VA 22314 tel: 703.528.7701 • fax: 703.739.0200 email: info@primacentral.org • Web site: www.primacentral.org Opinions and ideas expressed are not necessarily representative of the policies of PRIMA. Subscription rate: $140 per year. Back issue copies for members available for $7 each ($13 each for non-PRIMA members). All back issues are subject to availability. Apply to the editor for permission to reprint any part of the magazine. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PRIMA, 700 S. Washington St., #218, Alexandria, VA 22314.
IN EVERY ISSUE
Copyright 2013 Public Risk Management Association Reprints: Contact the Reprint Outsource at 717.394.7350.
4 News Briefs | 19 Advertiser Index | 20 Member Spotlight
SEPTEMBER 2013 | PUBLIC RISK
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Message from PRIMA President Betty Coulter
ALPHABET SOUP OF RISK MANAGEMENT
E
RM, COOP, BIA, critical functions, risk assessments. What do those terms mean and how are they relative in risk programming? The common relationships of your Enterprise Risk Management Program (ERM) and your Business Continuity Program (BCP) must be collaborative when introducing the ERM process to your organization. BCP is a natural and logical component of ERM. The risk assessment process of a BCP, identified as the Business Impact Analysis (BIA), explores the primary operational functions and interdependencies of each division. After completion of the BIA, the Continuity of Operations (COOP) for a division is created to show how a department recovers during and after a disruption to operations. The ERM risk assessment is a broad, strategic, high-level view of risk in an organization. A component part of an ERM program is the mitigation of catastrophic risk from natural and human activities. Embedding the BCP process in the ERM planning provides an organization with a 360 degree view of organizational risks. Boards expect the organization to have a comprehensive and effective process for identifying, measuring and managing risk. By viewing BCM as a risk management function and embedding it within an ERM program, which has been aligned with strategic planning, you produce a more efficient process of managing risk. Additionally, this approach provides an opportunity for your organization to experience how the two disciplines work collectively in the organizational structure. Although each process is strategic in its appropriate disciplines, each process works to organize and identify operational issues (that if not planned for in advance), could disrupt the primary and secondary functions of the organization. Public organizations must be prepared to continue operations during times of distress.
The primary focus of the risk manager is to identify, assess, evaluate, implement and control negative impacts and exposures of the organization. Negative impact can be in the form of changes in the insurance environment, natural disasters, governmental regulations, changes in financial markets and other reputational risks. The ultimate goal of the risk manager is to avoid, transfer or mitigate risks of the organization. The enterprise risk management process not only looks at the negative impacts to the organization, but also strategic opportunities of an organization. Public entities that typically have significant demands on resources through unfunded mandates and governance must be able to continue operations to meet the needs of the public. The risk manager must be able to combine ERM and business continuity into a concurrent process to create a common language. The success of each program is pivotal in developing a sustainable and resilient ERM program. As the risk manager of your organization, seek out the individual that is responsible for your business continuity program. Collaborate on methods that are effective in identifying critical business functions and interdependencies. Create a common language and an “elevator� message to describe the alignment of both processes. Ensure organizational training is aligned. Combining the ABC of ERM and BCP spells SUCCESS. Sincerely,
The primary focus of the risk manager is to identify, assess, evaluate, implement and control negative impacts and exposures of the organization. Negative impact can be in the form of changes in the insurance environment, natural disasters, governmental regulations, changes in financial
Betty P. Coulter 2013–2014 PRIMA President Director of Risk Management and Insurance UNC Charlotte
markets and other reputational risks.
SEPTEMBER 2013 | PUBLIC RISK
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News Briefs
NEWS
BRIEFS COPS COULD BE USED AS 911 CALLTAKERS; MEMO More than 300 cops could be assigned to answer 911 telephone calls as part of a massive personnel shakeup at the city’s troubled emergency dispatch center, the New York Daily News has learned. Cops on modified duty or assigned to security at the Public Safety Answering Center in downtown Brooklyn would be pressed into service as call-takers, according to an internal NYPD memo obtained by The News. NYPD spokeswoman Kim Royster confirmed that several proposals to “address staffing” at the 911 center are being considered by department brass. But the unsigned memo was merely part of a “brainstorming exercise,” Royster said, and no final decisions have been made. The memo proposes some of the biggest changes in more than a quarter century for the NYPD’s 1,000 civilian 911 operators.
STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT HITS EIGHT-YEAR LOW Slow, steady cuts to state government payrolls have continued to pile up in recent months, with no signs of employment trending up, reports Governing.com. Preliminary Labor Department estimates pegged total state government employment at 5,025,000 workers, the lowest tally since May 2005. State government employment has declined slightly each of the past four months, with totals for July fluctuating little. Recent cuts pale in comparison, though, to what states incurred back in 2011 as budgets across the country were trimmed in response to revenue shortfalls. State governments reached a peak of about 5.2 million workers in the fall of 2008. Since then, public education jobs at the state level—which account for about half of the sector’s employment—haven’t shifted much. But while education employment is about on par with pre-recession totals, all other areas of state government shed a combined 180,000 jobs from the 2008 peak.
Among the recommendations are a complete revamping of shift hours for all workers, the elimination of Saturdays and Sundays off for the most senior operators, a mandatory four hours of overtime per shift, and an increase in the number of uniformed supervisors. The move to revamp staffing comes less than two months after city officials rolled out a new $88 million computerized dispatch system. That system, known as ICAD, is the latest part of a $2 billion upgrade of 911. But ICAD has been dogged with a series of unexpected crashes and glitches, and with delays in dispatching ambulances during several high-profile emergencies. City officials say the new system is working fine. None of the glitches have led to emergency calls being lost or to any dispatching problems, they claim. Most of the publicized delays resulted from human error by police operators or EMS dispatchers, or simply from ambulances not being available because of heavy demand, Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway has said.
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STUDY LINKS STATE PRISON REFORMS TO DROP IN WELFARE SPENDING Prison reforms may result in better conditions for inmates, but those improvements come at the expense of welfare cash assistance and other government relief for the needy, according to a study released by Rice University and Louisiana State University. “We find statistically that there is this link that higher prison spending leads to less welfare spending,� said Rice University professor and study co-author Richard Boylan in the Texas Tribune. The study, published July 13 in the Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization with Louisiana State University professor Naci Mocan, examined 12 states—including Texas—where statewide court rulings required sweeping prison reforms. Those states saw diminished welfare expenses that remained even when the reform orders were lifted, Boylan said. Boylan said the cause would vary from “state to state, year to year,� but that the overall data from the states in the study, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee, supported the link. “This is an average effect,� he said. Texas enacted systemwide prison reforms after a federal district court prohibited inhumane conditions like overcrowding and ordered improved access to health care for inmates in the 1980 case Ruiz v. Estelle. Boylan said that despite concerns over Texas prison conditions, the study suggested Texans “should be very careful in making the leap that these terrible prison conditions should be changed.� “Even though it’s clear that [prisons] should be improved, new maintenance and so on, you need to think about the full consequences once you increase spending in corrections,� he said. “It’s possible that the resources may be coming from where they’re more important."
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The exact cost of the orders associated with the Ruiz case are difficult to estimate because the orders “came out incrementally over time and they had varying degrees of impact,� Jason Clark, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said in an email. Though Clark did not estimate a cost, he said “the Ruiz case had a significant impact on the agency and its operations.� The give-and-take between welfare and prison reform is somewhat “self-evident,� said Marc Levin, director of the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Spending more money on one part of the budget leaves less money for other portions, he said.
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SEPTEMBER 2013 | PUBLIC RISK
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CREATING
SMART PARKS By Doug Wyseman
Parks and recreation departments provide fabulous services to their communities. Unfortunately, most of these services and benefits are seen as "nice to have" rather than essential. So, when tough times lead to budget cuts, many parks departments were the first to feel the blade. If not managed correctly, reduced staffing, maintenance, or supervisory budgets can not only deprive communities of the great benefits associated with parks, but easily lead to dramatic increases in serious injuries to our children. Recreational immunity is great, but when it leads to organizations abdicating basic responsibilities to provide reasonably safe recreational lands, we need to reassess priorities!
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Too many children are injured in parks… In the past five years, I have investigated four fatal accidents in North American parks. All involved children and were the result of accidents that could have been prevented by the local Too many children are injured in parks. While departments in general do a good job in maintaining parks and recreation facilities, the fact remains that every year some children start their day filled with excitement for their upcoming outing with family and friends never realizing that that day will be their last.
of the day that we forget that simple fact. That is especially true in tough economic times. If the breadwinner loses their job and wants to take the family somewhere for some relaxation, it probably isn't going to be Disney World. Parks provide an abundance of opportunities for people to get outside, enjoy nature, get healthy and have fun. We shouldn't forget that fact.
In the past five years, I have investigated four fatal accidents in North American parks. All involved children and were the result of accidents that could have been prevented by the local parks and recreation department. We've come a long way in improving equipment, maintenance and training, but we need to do more.
While we won't try to argue that parks are an essential service, they are an important part of the community. People love their beaches, dog parks, trails, playgrounds and skate parks and use them daily.
While tough economic times demand that we pay attention to the bottom line, we can't afford to forget the importance of having safe parks. Shrinking budgets don't have to result in growing risks. I've had the pleasure of helping a number of parks departments successfully meet the challenges of doing better while spending less and have learned how some simple steps can make a world of difference. The Creating Smart Parks program is designed to not only help you deal with having less money to spend, but also to allow your department to be improve overall performance. This program doesn't contain scientific formulas or spreadsheets to success…it does provide many common sense solutions to problems associated with parks and recreation. Recommendations are based on the experience of seeing what can work and what can fail. Embracing the desire to improve is the first step to creating Smart Parks.
WHY THE CONCERN? Imagine your town without parks. Parks are important. Sometimes we get wrapped up in dealing with enough issues
parks and recreation department. We've come a long way in improving equipment, maintenance and training, but we need to do more.
Recent efforts to improve park safety have helped, but there have still been thousands of injuries suffered in North American parks. The majority of these injuries (and deaths) have nothing to do with park maintenance, or risk management initiatives…but some do. If organizations don't make some smart decisions going forward, the shrinking budgets will only create growing risks.
HOW MUCH RISK IS OK? If you are going to manage recreational risk it is important to understand just what defines a ‘risk.’ Simply put, risk is the chance of something going wrong. For many people, it is risk that makes them want to be involved in an activity. Skiing, skateboarding, hiking and playing any game, from football to poker all include elements of risk. Risk isn’t the enemy; rather it is often the main stimulus for being involved in their recreational pursuit. Eliminating all risks in parks and recreation is not the goal. Children need to be able to climb and swing. Adults should be allowed to play games or to slide down a hill. Along with the thrill a child receives soaring through mid-air on a swing comes the risk of the swing breaking and
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Creating Smart Parks
SMART PARKS ESSENTIALS 1. Review written policies to ensure that they provide accurate reflection of service 2. Complete review of one-year and five-year experience 3. Increase inspections through use of other resources 4. Review maintenance/ supervisory operations documents 5. Transfer appropriate tasks and responsibilities to user groups 6. Maximize effectiveness of signs 7. Don't have rules that you don't intend to enforce 8. Keep score
the child being injured. Should children stop using swings? Of course not. However, the risk of the swing breaking should be eliminated. In essence, this is what risk management for parks and recreation is all about; ensuring that the thrill and challenge that come from play are allowed to continue, while hazards to participants are minimized.
WHAT’S YOUR BEST EFFORT? When accidents occur in your park, such accidents are supposed to take place in spite of your best efforts. School districts and municipalities alike need to determine the level of service that they can provide to maintain parks and play spaces. One of the most frequent question I'm asked is, "How often should we inspect our park." My honest answer is that I don't know. How could I? I don't know how many staff you have; how many parks; miles of trails; or how many playgrounds. For anyone to say you must inspect once a week might be ridiculous… perhaps impossible. The same situation holds true for the courts. A judge doesn't want to say how often that you should inspect your park, that’s what elected officials are for. They are elected to determine how the resources of the municipality should be utilized. A judge doesn't know what a reasonable policy for your municipality would include. Maybe this year money was needed for improved water quality, or to plow snow, or fight fires. A judge couldn't say you should have ignored all other factors and made sure that you inspected your park every week; that is why elected officials set policy. To ensure that you are providing reasonably safe parklands in your community, organizations should develop written policies outlining the level of service that they provide. Such reasonable policies ensure that you are meeting your responsibilities in your parks and play spaces.
SMART PARKS LAW OF MANAGING RISKS Look • Physically look at your area of concern...whether it's playgrounds, trails, toboggan hills, beaches, or playing fields…as many fresh eyes as possible • Incident reports, claims, complaints...where are they coming from? (We once worked with a large city that had 20 outdoor pools. They were very pleased that after a summer, they had only 9 reports of slip and falls on the pool deck. By looking closer we determined that 8 of the 9 falls took place at the northeast corner of the same pool!)
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• Signs need to be looked at, as well. Are they visible? Easy to understand? Many signs fail as tools of communication because they contain too much information, much of it needless. Saying “Welcome to Springfield…use at your own risk” does not reduce your liability. Telling a trail user “Cliff ahead” will reduce the likelihood of accident and show that you took appropriate steps to make users aware of a danger. Ask • Users are in your parks daily…you aren't. Ask for their help in making sure things are safe. Signs are a good way to accomplish this. • Users also should be consulted when developing new facilities and lands. If you're developing a trail,who wants to use it? Hikers? Bikers? Equestrian? Can they all safely use the trail at the same time? • Insurers should be asked to provide benchmarks. "We are a city of 50,000 and 36 percent of the claims are against the parks department. Is that good or bad?" Armed with the information that you are worse than average (if you're at 36 percent), you might want to use that information when asking for money in your budget for staffing, new equipment, or other such items that can improve your situation. If you are doing well, you'll want to make sure staff gets a pat on the back and that elected officials are aware that you are better than the norm. Where else can you get such information? • Legal department should be asked what happened when we were sued. Learn from successes and failures. If you paid, why? If you won, it reinforces risk management efforts. • Your peers in other municipalities. Thinking of a skate park? Ask someone who has one what they would do differently next time. Learn from their experience. Watch • Keep an eye on your experience and any trends. In spite of tough economic times, we should all be able to enjoy many great days at parks and recreational lands. Liability fears needn't close down the old town swimming hole. A little common sense and simple risk management steps can make things reasonably safe. Doug Wyseman has worked in the public sector as risk manager for a large Canadian municipality and in the private sector for insurers of public entities. Doug has served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association and was instrumental in the development of the Playground Safety Institute.
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DISASTER:
ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY READY TO RESPOND?
By Melissa Black, MS, CSP, CIH
If your organization is like most government agencies or businesses today, you have a contingency plan. Odds are, you have already planned for off-site data storage, off-site location work and you may have even planned for emotional support post-crisis through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). But what happens in a crisis if your employees don’t respond?
FACING REALITY I have been through many required National Incident Management Agency (NIMS) courses, and during tabletop exercises, I have questioned the group about their staff's levels of home preparedness. It is an important question for you to ask members of your Emergency Operations Committee, and you need to make sure you increase the awareness of this reality and area of vulnerability within your plan. It’s a scary thought that in a major emergency such as a pandemic flu situation with large populations either sick or dying, your responders may not leave their homes. The reality is that many responders will not go into the community if they fear doing so would increase the risks for their families. “The data suggests that nearly half of the local health department workers are likely not to report to duty during a pandemic.”1 In a terrorist act or act of God, how many of your employees would respond to the public’s needs if they felt their own home front needed them? Would your water/sewer repair crews respond? Would your signal lights and stop signs be in-place and working? Do your employees and their families have food, medicine, and other basic needs so that they can function? Do they have gloves, N-95 masks, and disinfectants on hand to leave and return home without infecting their loved ones? Will they leave if they are not prepared with these essential items? It is a hard question to face, but will your employees be part of the solution or part of the problem for your community? We all like to think we are staffed by heroes; we like to think of ourselves as heroes. The reality is that self-preservation often takes over as a core value and action for many, so home planning for your employees needs to be pushed to the top of your list of preparations for emergency planning.
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It is a hard question to face, but will your employees be part of the solution or part of the problem for your community? We all like to think we are staffed by heroes; we like to think of ourselves as heroes. The reality is that self-preservation It is difficult for some organizations to focus on the homes of their employees as part of the emergency plan. Many do not wish to be intrusive or fear liability as an employer. Some organizations may feel they are already overwhelmed with tasks to do within the organization, so why add more? Some have not even considered their employees and their willingness or ability to respond. It is time to stop fearing litigation and take steps that better prepare us all. Each step and each piece of information we can give employees to be better prepared will result in a stronger community. We need to confront the weak link in our business continuity chain. Let’s take a look at a few common emergency issues and shed some light on the ways you as an employer can be preparing your employees to respond:
EDUCATION Are you encouraging and educating your employees on preparedness? Do you have communications channels in place such as newsletters, Web sites, or lunch-andlearns with internal or external speakers that give basic reminders and education tips to your employees? How about education on financial preparedness? Do you occasionally send out or post resources for employees to stay informed? In order for your employees to be effective in a state of emergency, they need to be prepared and informed. They need to be thinking about and prepared to take emergency steps before they take place. The Today is the Day Before Are You Ready for Tomorrow? campaign on www.ready.gov2 is a great resource. This Web site has activities for you and your
employees to do with their families to be better prepared. Many universities have great resources you can access for checklists and ideas. Here in my state, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension has some great publications. If your organization has a newsletter, consider using your organization’s internal communications channels to send links to resources for your employees.
FINANCIAL
often takes over as a core value and action for many, so home planning for your employees needs to be pushed
Do you recommend to your employees that they have a few months of expenses in savings as an emergency fund? Considering the nation’s recent economic realities, this is a tip worth repeating to your employees. Most employers fear backlash from any discussions regarding an employee’s personal finances. The brave employer provides resources on financial planning for the future and day-to-day money tips to keep their employees prepared and focused on the realities that may face them and their families.
to the top of your list of preparations for emergency planning.
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES Do you provide a suggested checklist and phased-in plan to your employees each payday for emergency supplies? It should include reminders for items such as batteries, flashlights, candles, extra medicines, water, juices, a generator or power inverter, firewood, charcoal or extra propane for a grill, duct tape, basic tools, extra cloths, toiletries, non-perishable foods such as tuna, peanut butter, fruit in juice, etc. Have you ever reminded your employees to prepare a Go Kit with important papers? Go Kits packed with clothing, medicines, toiletries and supplies for several days should be kept in an easily accessible place ready for quick evacuation.
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Disaster: Are Your Employees REALLY Ready To Respond?
ABOUT GWINNETT Gwinnett County is the northeast gateway to metropolitan Atlanta along I-85 and I-985. It is a major residential, commercial and retail center with a growing population of more than 800,000 residents. The county covers 437 square miles between Atlanta and Lake Lanier, making it the 50th largest county in the state in landmass. Gwinnett County also contains 15 municipalities, but most of the population lives in unincorporated areas where the county provides such services as police, fire, water, sewer, parks and roads. A five-member elected Board of Commissioners governs the County and a County Administrator oversees 11 appointed department directors.
Do you stress to employees that they should have up-to-date emergency contact information? Be sure to remind them that everyone in their family should have an agreed upon point of contact that they can reach outside their area. Genuinely demonstrating to employees that the organization cares is one of the core elements in modern business relationships that have been lost. Caring enough to assist with planning on the home front helps to rebuild the relationship and prepare for emergencies. This may seem extreme, but around holidays, suggest to employees they buy preparedness items for those they love. A five-pound fire extinguisher and the link to the Web site with the FEMA film on the PASS system (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) for proper use of the extinguisher is a gift that says they care. A carbon monoxide detector or a disaster kit shows your loved ones their well-being is important to you. I bought my brothers and sisters families their own N-95 masks, nitrile gloves, and antibacterial wipes. Should a pandemic flu season occur, I want them to be able to leave the home, return and disinfect without infecting the whole house.
FIRE Do you ever cover common emergencies such as a fire in the home? Do you encourage assembly points for the home? Drop, cover, and crawl are still appropriate key phrase reminders. Many government agencies have a community risk reduction/fire prevention group. Have you looked into having your organizations fire prevention group speak to your employees?
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HURRICANES I am from Louisiana and was there visiting family when Katrina came through. We all learned valuable lessons from that historic event regarding workplaces, pre-planning for floods, wind and the other forces that go along with hurricanes. With the high concentration of petro-chemical plants in the Mississippi delta, this is a science and paper unto itself. Unfortunately, we recently learned again the importance of emergency planning along the east coast with Hurricane Sandy. According to Radley Horton, a climate scientist at Columbia University: “The sea level in the New York City area has risen about a foot (0.3 meters) over the last century. Sandy brought a record storm surge to the southern tip of Manhattan, and that surge received a boost from the increase in sea levels. Because of these rising sea levels, even weaker storms in the future can cause more devastating flooding.� 3 Also from Columbia University, Klaus Jacob, a geophysicist who has studied the impact of climate change on coastal cities said, “[Hurricanes] can move when risks become too high, a strategy called managed retreat. I think that needs to be much more aired in the public, because it is obviously the hardest to do." These words can be applied to any coastal area where hurricane or tsunamis are a risk. There are times when preparation has done all it can and removal from the hazard is the only solution.
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REFERENCES 1. Balicer RD, Omer SB, Barnett DJ, Everly GS Jr (2006) Local public health workers’ perceptions toward responding to an influenza pandemic. BMC Public Health 18: 6–99. http://www.biomedcentral. com/1471-2458/6/99 Accessed: 2013 Feb1 2. FEMA website http://www. ready.gov/today Accessed 22 February 2013 3. Parry, Wynne. Hurricane Sandy Lessons: How We Can Prepare For Future Disasters
Do your employees know primary and secondary evacuation routes? Do they have planned points of refuge with family, friends, or even hotels picked out with phone numbers ready to make reservations at the first signs of pending evacuation?
walls, no window shelter advice still applies. Are basements, bathrooms, or lower-level closets under stairs already selected and planned as a shelter location? Shelter locations should at least have flashlights, water, communications tools and medical/first aid supplies.
EARTHQUAKES AND METEORS
Taking the time to think of the worst in emergency situations and putting extra effort in planning may sound extreme, but the peace of mind of knowing you have done a few things to assist your employees to reduce their vulnerability in emergencies is well worth the investment. From Barnett DJ, Balicer RD, Thompson CB, Storey JD, Omer SB, et al. in their 2009 CDC report:
Even though I now live in the east near a large fault line, the local communities here do not think or plan extensively for earthquakes. Unlike hurricanes, which do allow some warning for evacuation and preparation, earthquakes and meteors require the best pre-planning and securing of structures and items. In attempting to put a section on earthquakes in our emergency plans, I researched the state of California and FEMA suggestions for earthquake planning. Basic preparedness, securing, preparation and shelter under sturdy structures or furniture are advised. As with tornados, head injuries are a high risk. Duck, cover, and hold on are the best actions to take during earthquakes or meteor sonic blasts. Do your emergency plans include a section on earthquakes? Do you have any prior planning for these type events?
TORNADOS There are no typical areas for tornados or even a typical season anymore. If a tornado occurs in your community, do your employees have the peace of mind knowing that their families know what to do? In the past, when our employees have gone to shelter for a tornado watch, people could not reach their families and panic ensued. It is important your employees know that their loved ones understand what to do before the event occurs. Going to the lowest level, two
“So far, on a national level, public health readiness and response efforts have focused nearly exclusively on enhancing ability, without specifically attending to
http://www.huffingtonpost. com/2013/01/28/hurricane-sandy-lessons-superstorm-2012_n_2568508. html?utm_hp_ ref=hurricane-sandy-2012 Accessed 2 February 2013 4. Barnett DJ, Balicer RD, Thompson CB, Storey JD, Omer SB, et al. (2009) Assessment of Local Public Health Workers’ Willingness to Respond to Pandemic Influenza through Application of the Extended Parallel Process Model. PLoS ONE 4(7): e6365. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0006365 http://emergency.cdc.gov/ coca/pdf/2009_PLoS_ ONE_LHD_WTR_EPPM.pdf
willingness issues. Our study results suggest that this response willingness is not to be taken for granted.” 4 Help employees prepare their home fronts so they can be heroes on the job and in your community. I encourage you to face reality and ask your organization the tough questions, even though you may not like the answers. Melissa Black, MS, CSP, CIH, is the retired safety officer, insurance division of finance for the Gwinnett County Government in Lawrenceville, GA.
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PRIMA 2013
WEBINAR SERIES FREE FOR PRIMA MEMBERS! Looking for a cost-effective way to train your staff while avoiding the frustration of budget cuts and travel expenses? The Public Risk Management Association’s Webinar series is designed to help risk management professionals like you excel in the field without leaving your office.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 | 12 PM – 1:30 PM EST Implementing ERM in the Public Sector: Obstacles and Opportunities PRESENTERS: Dorothy Gjerdrum, ARM-P, CIRM, Executive Director, Gallagher Public Sector Matt Hansen, Director, Risk Management, City & County of San Francisco, CA Public entities have unique obstacles and barriers to implementing enterprise risk management (ERM). Politics, leadership, budget constraints, operational history (“we’ve always done it this way”) and resistance to change are a few of the constraints that challenge the development of ERM. In some entities, risk managers are viewed as “the person who says no” to new projects and activities or simply the insurance buyer. Combine those obstacles and attitudes and it’s no wonder that there is a perception that ERM is hard to implement! But does it have to be? This Webinar will provide tools and solutions to address implementation constraints, begin to shift attitudes and turn obstacles into opportunities. During this Webinar, participants will: • Understand the barriers to ERM implementation and ways to address them • Review how public entities with successful ERM programs have approached obstacles • Consider tools and solutions to begin to implement ERM in your entity Who should attend: • City and county risk managers • Contract administrators and department heads • Project managers • Decision-makers • Risk management consultants • Risk managers and analysts
REGISTER TODAY!
PRIMA members receive complimentary registration and access to the Webinars! S E R I ES S P O N S O R :
For more information, or to register, visit www.primacentral.org.
Eyewashes and Safety Showers in Schools:
WHAT RISK MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW By Joann Roberston, CSP, CPCU, ARM, CPSI
Eyewash stations and safety showers may be found in various places throughout school districts including: • Chemistry labs and chemical storage areas • Custodial storage areas • Buildings and grounds chemical and pesticide storage areas • Swimming pool chlorine storage areas • Industrial arts
• Industrial arts • Darkrooms • Print shops • Nurse’s office • Boiler rooms
Safety showers and eyewashes are on duty 24-hours-a-day to help protect the nighttime custodian who might knock over a bottle or the science teacher who came in early to set up a lesson. Despite safety precautions, chemical exposures and fires may still occur in a school. Dermal exposure to various substances can cause irritation and damage to the skin and/or eyes ranging from mild temporary discomfort to permanent damage.1 Injuries involving hazardous chemicals may be mitigated with quick access to an eyewash and safety shower.
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Eyewashes and Safety Showers in Schools
REFERENCES 1. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide, page 48, October, 2006. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication no. 2007-107 2. American National Standards Institute Z358. 1-2009. Standard for Emergency Eyewashes and Shower Equipment
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES • Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450). • Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Medical Services and First Aid Standard 29 CFR 1910.151(c).
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard 29 CFR 1910.151(c) states that suitable facilities for quick drenching and flushing should be provided “where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use.” Ongoing inspection, testing and maintenance are needed to help assure these passive devices remain in operational condition to provide: • Dilution and irrigation of chemicals that are on the skin or in the eyes • Extinguishment of fires on clothing or the body • Cooling of the skin following exposure to fire Consider the following when installing and maintaining an eyewash and safety shower in a school setting:
CAN YOU GET TO THEM? The American National Standards Institute (ANSI Standard Z358.1-2009) states that "emergency eyewash and shower equipment shall be located on the same level as the hazard, have un-obstructed access (a door is considered an obstruction) and require not more than 10 seconds to reach."2 Desks, chairs and other obstacles need to be clear of the path to access this safety equipment. These areas sometimes become used for extra storage in the classroom and care should be taken so that access to the eyewash, safety shower and their controls is not blocked. Locate the eyewash and safety shower within the same general vicinity where the hazardous chemicals are being used and stored. Install highly visible signage to indicate the proper path and location of this safety equipment.
IS IT EASY TO OPERATE? Equip free-flow eyewashes and safety showers with an easy on-off switch so that the exposed person can easily turn on the water flow with just one push or pull and the water will remain on until effort is made to turn it off. Eyewashes and safety showers are designed to function while allowing the user's hands to remain free in order to hold open their eye and remove clothing splashed by chemicals while in the safety shower.
IS ENOUGH WATER PROVIDED? Safety showers and eyewashes are designed to provide a steady and full stream of water for at least 15 minutes.2 Bottles of eyewash do not meet this time frame and are not recommended.
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PUBLIC RISK | SEPTEMBER 2013
Regular testing and flushing helps to verify operability. Items to look for include even and adequate water flow on both nozzles of an eyewash.
DOES THE WATER AIM TOWARD THE USER? A properly equipped eyewash station is able to deliver a stream of water from a faucet that faces upward. This allows the individual to put their eyes directly above the stream of water, where it can gently hit their eyes and drain back into the washing unit. If the faucet is pointing downwards, the person has to tip their head under the nozzle requiring awkward positioning and allowing contaminated water to run down the side of the face and forehead, potentially causing further chemical damage to the surrounding skin. Safety showers point downward on the user, thus allowing the chemicals to be swept away and off of the user.
IS IT INSPECTED? Proper maintenance and weekly testing can provide verification that emergency showers and eyewash stations are in good working order. Weekly testing helps clear the supply lines of sediment. ANSI Z358.1-2009 outlines specific testing and maintenance of eyewashes and safety showers. The ANSI standard states that plumbed flushing equipment "shall be activated weekly for a period long enough to verify operation and ensure that flushing fluid is available." For portable or self-contained equipment that is not tied into the plumbing system, the standard also requires that they "be visually checked to determine if flushing fluid needs to be changed or supplemented."2 Emergency eyewashes and showers are not required to have drains, though drainage is often desired to make use and testing easier without flooding the immediate area. A drain is preferred for hard-piped emergency showers and eyewash stations to reduce floor slip/fall hazard during testing and/or emergency use. The school can define what is to be tested and whose responsibility it is to inspect and test the eyewash and safety showers. Typically the custodial or science staff member will be assigned to inspect the equipment, flush it weekly and report any observations and needed repairs immediately. Water should flow with a single touch of the on-off switch without the need to open any other valves to start the water flow. The eyewash stations should be checked to ensure they are operating equally from both sides. Eyewash caps may need to be replaced as they serve as dust covers and help prevent contamination and obstruction to the water flow. Any obstructions to the equipment or in the pathway to reach the station should also be cleared and reported to school management. Use an inspection tag for tracking.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS PRIMA’s calendar of events is current at time of publication. For the most up-to-date schedule, visit www.primacentral.org.
WEBINARS 2013
TRAINING TO USE EYEWASH AND SAFETY SHOWER FACILITIES ANSI Z358.1-2009 recommends training in the proper use of eyewashes and safety showers.2 Both employees and students benefit from being properly instructed and trained. The directions for use of safety equipment can be developed in writing, made available and frequently reviewed with staff and students so they know the location and importance of this safety equipment. Training should emphasize that an injured person may need assistance in reaching the shower or eyewash and in getting medical attention. Students and staff can be trained in how to assist and to contact medical help. If someone becomes contaminated while assisting the injured, they may use the shower with the victim to flush the affected area. The following additional information can be used for training employees in the proper use of eyewash and safety shower facilities: • • • • • • • • • • •
In case of chemical exposure, flush skin or eyes with cool water for at least 15 minutes. DO NOT RUB! Contact medical assistance immediately after initiating flushing. Hold your eyes open with your hands while using an eyewash station to be sure water reaches the eyes. Remove contaminated clothing after the shower has been activated. Immediately wash off even small amounts of chemicals. If possible, continue flushing while on way to medical help. Know the effects of chemicals you are handling. Read, ask questions and understand material safety data sheets for each chemical you are handling. Wear personal protective equipment recommended by the chemical manufacturer. Learn the location and use of emergency equipment. Know how to help others reach showers or eyewashes, how to operate them and how to help get medical assistance.
Eyewashes and safety showers in schools are an important piece of safety equipment that can be located near areas where chemical hazards are prevalent. When selecting the equipment, verify that it meets the current design standards. Once the equipment is in place, provide training to the staff and students. Ongoing inspection and testing can verify the equipment is clear of obstructions, operable and maintained so that if an accident occurs the potential for injuries involving exposure to chemicals and fire can be reduced.
• September 18: Implementing ERM in the Public Sector: Obstacles and Opportunities • November 13: Amendments to Americans With Disabilities Act—Implications for Human Resource Management
PRIMA ANNUAL CONFERENCES June 8–11, 2014 PRIMA 2014 Annual Conference Long Beach, CA Long Beach Convention Center June 7–10, 2015 PRIMA 2015 Annual Conference Houston, TX George R. Brown Convention Center June 5–8, 2016 PRIMA 2016 Annual Conference Atlanta, GA Hyatt Regency Atlanta
OTHER MEETINGS November 4–8 PRIMA Institute 2013 Milwaukee, WI
UPCOMING CHAPTER MEETINGS Chapter meetings are listed on a space-available basis. For a complete list of PRIMA chapter meetings, visit www.primacentral.org. For information on a specific meeting, please contact the chapter directly. Arizona Sept. 11–13 Kansas Nov. 16 Tennessee Nov. 20–22 Texas Nov. 11–14 To have your chapter meeting listed on the PRIMA Web site, contact Bles Dones at bdones@primacentral.org.
Joann Robertson is a senior risk control consultant for Glatfelter Public Practice, a public entity specialist providing risk management services and insurance products to schools, municipalities, sewer/water authorities and emergency service organizations.
SEPTEMBER 2013 | PUBLIC RISK
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Has your entity launched a successful program? An innovative solution to a common problem? A money-saving idea that kept a program under-budget? Each month, Public Risk features articles from practitioners like you. Share your successes with your colleagues by writing for Public Risk magazine! For more information, or to submit an article, contact Jennifer Ackerman at jackerman@primacentral.org or 703.253.1267.
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Member Spotlight
TEXAS POOL DEVELOPS STANDARDIZED CERTIFICATE OF COVERAGE FORMS features a member who has gone above and beyond in a feature column titled “Member Spotlight.” Do you know someone who deserves recognition, has made a contribution or excelled in their profession? If so, we’d like to hear from you for this exciting column, as PRIMA shines the spotlight on its members. To be considered for the Member Spotlight column, contact Jennifer Ackerman at jackerman@primacentral.org
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To eliminate any question about the validity of its forms, TASB, led by Paul Taylor, division director of legal and regulatory affairs, created two new standardized Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD) forms: • Texas Risk Pool Certificate of Property Coverage • Texas Risk Pool Certificate of Liability Coverage The forms were approved by TDI and are now used by the Fund to assist with member coverage needs.
or 703.253.1267.
“We anticipate that the Fund’s use of standard ACORD forms to reflect Fund member coverage will significantly simplify and improve our members’ ability to respond to
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coverage documentation requests from other parties,” said Taylor. “Development of these forms is a great example of the Fund’s commitment to provide innovative services. Any risk pool in Texas can procure these forms through ACORD and benefit from their use.” “In this way,” Taylor continued, “the Fund has helped all Texas risk pools better serve their members’ needs.” The project was begun in February 2012. Approximately 100 hours of staff time were expended creating the forms, working with ACORD, consulting outside counsel. TDI approved the two new ACORD forms in September of that year. “While ACORD has adopted pool-specific forms in other jurisdictions, these were the first ACORD pooling forms developed and approved for use in Texas,” said Taylor. “In addition, these were the first TDI-approved certificates of coverage available to all Texas pools. We’re very proud of this accomplishment.” For more information on TASB Risk Management Fund’s certificates of coverage forms, contact Paul Taylor at paul.taylor@tasb.org. To access the forms, visit the ACORD Web site: http://www.acord.org/standards/Forms/Pages/ default.aspx.
Development of these forms is a great example of the Fund’s commitment to provide innovative services. Any risk pool in Texas can procure these forms through ACORD and benefit from their use.
PUBLIC RISK | SEPTEMBER 2013
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Each month, Public Risk
eginning in January 2012, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) required that only certificates of insurance approved by the department could be issued to provide proof of insurance or coverage. Because it is a risk-pool, and not an insurance company, the TASB Risk Management Fund is not under the jurisdiction of TDI. Nonetheless, passage of the law raised questions from Fund members about how to provide proof of coverage and whether Fund-issued certificates of coverage would be accepted.
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